Mike Johnson, Self-Crowned ‘Most Conservative’ Speaker, Fights for Political Life, Democrats Rush to His Rescue

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) faces the crescendo in his battle to maintain the grip on his gavel as he endeavors to blunt conservative criticism of his record even as prominent Democrats rush to his rescue.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) has promised to force a vote on her motion to vacate — the same procedural move that ousted Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) in 2023. She has called for Johnson to resign and end his coalition government after Democrats have pledged to keep the Johnson speakership alive.

For many conservatives anxious to exercise the remaining vestiges of the haplessly interventionist, go along to get along, pre-Donald Trump Republican Party, the fight against Johnson’s coalition government with Democrats is a critical battle with immense implications for the shape of the party going forward and a potential second Trump term.

Greene and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) met with Johnson Monday for a two-hour meeting and are expected to continue negotiations Tuesday afternoon.

Greene told reporters after the meeting that she and Massie “had a very long discussion with Speaker Johnson. We’ll be meeting with him again tomorrow based on the discussion and then I’ll have more information.”

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) speak to reporters following a lengthy meeting with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) at the Capitol in Washington, DC, on May 6, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Tuesday morning before talks resumed, establishment media outlets Punchbowl News and Politico published leaked details of the Monday meeting, including lists of Greene and Massie’s alleged demands.

Breitbart News sources confirmed Greene and Massie’s camps were angry about the leaks, which they allege included inaccurate information.

Johnson has used a mixture of friendly conservative and establishment media in recent weeks to push back on his critics but has declined interview requests from Breitbart News.

On May 2, the embattled speaker granted an interview to D.C. outlet Axios to spin his speakership record as well as his efforts to pivot toward a fight against antisemitism — bungled efforts that have further escalated conservative criticism.

“I’m the most conservative member who has ever held the gavel as speaker, but the reality of our numbers [is] our challenge,” Johnson told Axios. “Some of my colleagues want us to throw Hail Mary passes on every play.”

Greene attacked Johnson’s claims of being the “most conservative” speaker ever on X:

Her post read:

Most conservative except when you… fund the invasion of our country, fund full-term abortion, fund the trans agenda, fund endless war, break the tie for warrantless spying, criminalize the New Testament, are endorsed by Democrat leadership, spend more than Nancy Pelosi.

It was accompanied by six laughing emojis.

Johnson’s critics believe he has spent less time throwing passes — Hail Mary or otherwise — and more time handing the ball to the other team’s quarterback. During the three marquee moments in his six-month speakership, Johnson has delivered President Joe Biden three of his top priorities — a possible lifeline for a president desperate for accomplishments as he struggles in the polls against Republican challenger Donald Trump.

Massie detailed Johnson’s “three betrayals,” specifying Johnson funding Biden’s spending policies — at even higher spending levels than the omnibus bill last passed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), forcing through a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) extension without a requirement to require warrants before spying on Americans, and sending tens of billions of American taxpayers dollars in foreign aid despite securing no progress on border security.

President Joe Biden shakes hands with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) before delivering his third State of the Union address in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, on March 7, 2024. (SHAWN THEW/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Johnson, as Greene alluded, cast the deciding vote on the warrant requirement amendment after personally lobbying lawmakers — a task also undertaken by Attorney General Merrick Garland and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan — to oppose the amendment. Johnson had long advocated for warrant requirements before attaining the speaker’s gavel as well as opposing additional aid to Ukraine, promising on multiple occasions never to move a foreign aid bill without first securing the border.

“Why is it that on all three betrayals, the Senate didn’t change a word of these bills when they went to the Senate from the House?” Massie asked. “It’s because Mike Johnson was doing Chuck Schumer and Joe Biden’s bidding.”

Despite Johnson’s claims of conservative bona fides, behind the scenes, he is working to undermine conservatives, blaming them for the torrent of Democrat priorities unleashed under his speakership.

Johnson reportedly told high-dollar donors at the swanky Four Seasons in Washington on Sunday that he supported stripping committee assignments from conservatives who blocked his agenda. He also said he would support changing the rules at the end of this Congress to water down the motion to vacate that currently hangs over his head.

Johnson did not support such retaliatory measures in the past. He refused to retaliate against the 25 Republicans who voted against Republican speaker nominee Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH). He also took no retaliatory actions against the eight Republicans who used the motion to vacate to oust Speaker McCarthy.

As Breitbart reported in November, “Johnson may have even taken several steps backward toward the Ryan and Boehner days and away from reforms conservatives were able to secure from McCarthy.”

The same day Johnson made his Four Seasons comments, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) delivered a blow to Johnson’s defense of his gavel, declaring in a CBS broadcast that Democrats have controlled the House agenda under Johnson.

“Even though we’re in the minority, we effectively have been governing as if we were in the majority because we continue to provide a majority of the votes necessary to get things done,” he told CBS. “Those are just the facts.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Democrat leadership made the shocking announcement on April 29 that they would save Johnson, issuing a remarkable joint statement praising him for partnering with a “bipartisan coalition” that included Biden and “traditional Republicans” to “[push] back against MAGA extremism” and unleash tens of billions in aid to Ukraine and Gaza.

As Johnson’s seat has warmed, he has devoted significant capital to publicly standing against antisemitism during rising protests on college campuses. The speaker visited Columbia University for a speech at the height of protests, and students heckled him.

Insane! Columbia University Protesters Smash Windows, Barricade Themselves Inside Building

He has instructed committee chairs to hold hearings on antisemitism, although critics say the pivot will further distract from efforts to impeach Biden — a Republican priority that has faltered since Johnson became speaker.

Johnson held a vote Wednesday on an antisemitism resolution that moderate Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) authored that angered Republicans and even many pro-Israel Democrats who protested that the bill would crack down on legitimate free speech and even categorize some New Testament doctrines as hate speech.

Although the bill passed easily, what could have been an easy victory for the speaker was overshadowed by bipartisan criticism of the bill.

What comes next is uncertain, but Johnson has shown little indication he will relent to Greene and Massie’s demands. The duo could activate their motion to vacate as soon as Tuesday afternoon after they meet with Johnson.

Once a motion to vacate is triggered, the House must vote within two legislative days. However, Johnson is expected to immediately move to table the motion, a procedural fig leaf for Democrats to claim they saved Johnson while avoiding voting on the actual motion itself.

The number of Democrats necessary to save Johnson is unknown, as most Republicans have kept their cards close.

Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) has joined Greene and Massie in announcing he would vote to eject Johnson. Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) has said he would vote against the motion to table, an option potentially adopted by others on principle, and to show their criticism of Johnson.

Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) (Bill Clark/Pool via AP)

Politico reported Greene could be close to getting eight Republican votes against tabling. That number is significant, as it represents the number who voted to oust McCarthy when he faced his motion to vacate in 2023. That effort against McCarthy was led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who, while increasingly critical of Johnson’s speakership, is not expected to vote to expel him.

The motion to table the vote that ultimately doomed McCarthy failed when eleven Republicans joined every voting House Democrat in a 208-218 vote.

While Johnson’s tabling motion is likely to be successful due to Democrat support, there is no limit to how many times Greene — or any other member — can bring forth a motion to vacate vote. Democrat leaders made clear their assurances to save Johnson do not extend beyond a single tabling motion.

“It’s one pony ride only,” Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) told Axios.

Democrats are unlikely to continue propping up Johnson’s speakership if Greene persists with additional votes. With little legislative heavy lifting left this Congress, there may be little more they can hope for from Johnson after extracting more from Republicans than they would have thought possible in January 2023.

But by partnering with Johnson through just one vote to save his speakership, Democrats can claim the moral high ground by “support[ing] the integrity of the House of Representatives,” as Pelosi phrased it Monday while personally pledging to defend Johnson. Meanwhile, Democrats can continue attacking Johnson and Republicans.

The strategy allows them to have it both ways, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) said.

“The yes votes provide the functional purpose of what we need. The no votes allow us to maintain and uphold the message that Mike Johnson is still a dangerous leader,” she said.

Greene told Breitbart News Saturday that Johnson could inflict significantly more damage before the year’s end, singling out the need to pass another government funding bill before October and the call for more Ukraine aid.

“Everyone should be terrified of Mike Johnson,” she said.

Meanwhile, more of Republican voters’ favorite villains have come to Johnson’s defense. “We should save him,” Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), a prominent figure in the impeachment of Trump, said.

Johnson seems unlikely to cripple his speakership by making the public concessions necessary for his detractors, who see him as irreparably compromised, to abandon their fight. And the tenacious Greene’s retreat is not imminent despite the leak-dependent characterizations by Beltway news organizations.

Brace yourselves. A showdown is coming.

Bradley Jaye is a Capitol Hill Correspondent for Breitbart News. Follow him on X/Twitter at @BradleyAJaye.